If the decline of Christianity continues with the rapidity of the last half-century, a perilous crisis lies before the population of the civilized world. Old religious ideas seeking a new basis will produce new upheavals of religious imagination, and a period of intense superstition will ensue. Whatever might result from such a period, in itself it could be nothing but evil, a time of darkness and disquiet, of relaxed morality and charlatan prophets. Fortunately the fall of Christianity is not likely to be so rapid in the future; the great mass of mankind may cling to it long after it has parted from the world’s intellectual life. The religion of the future certainly will not be the curious system of Comte. Positivism is only a philosophy masquerading in the garb of a religion. Its fundamental principle is hopelessly at variance with the craving for supernatural dogma which has possession of ordinary men. Equally, of course, a refined Christianity, with the juice of dogma squeezed out, cannot become the religion of mankind. Religious ideas need a dogmatic system, and in some form or other their need is sure to be supplied. Indeed, it is probable that dogmatic religion will always be a phenomenon of human life. Man framed it in the beginning, and man is likely to preserve it to the end. The conditions of existence secure it an assured tenure. The actual business of living must occupy all the thoughts of the vast majority of men. In regard to the matters which lie beyond this they can only walk by faith, and the illusions of life furnish ample material for faith to work on. A few may have the leisure to examine phenomena themselves, and thus may attain freedom from the influence of illusion, and may see things as they really are. But they can never be more than an infinitesimal minority. And so, from generation to generation, with the shadows of their hopes and fears, their loves and hates, men will people the impenetrable darkness which closes around the mystery of life. FOOTNOTES: [1] Against Apion, ii. 40. [2] See Kuenen’s “Religion of Israel,” i. 226 (Eng. trans.). [3] See Gen. xxxi. 53; Josh. xxiv. 15; Judges xi. 24; cf. Exod. xv. 11. [4] Ezekiel (xx. 8) says they were corrupted by the Egyptian religion, but this is very improbable. [5] “Religion of Israel,” i. 281 (Eng. trans.). [6] See Curtius, “Hist. of Greece,” bk. ii. ch. 4. [7] Acts vii. 22. [8] See an article by Professor Huxley, _Nineteenth Century_, April, 1886, p. 498. [9] See, in particular, Lev. vi. 1–7. [10] Jer. vii. 22; Amos v. 25. [11] Isa. i. 11; lxvi. 1–4; Hos. vi. 6; Micah vi. 6–8. [12] Isa. xlv. 12. [13] Exod. xix. 5, 6; Lev. xxvi. For correlative covenant, see Gen. xxviii. 20, 21. [14] “Religion of Israel,” ii. 267 (Eng. trans.). [15] Lev. v. 11, 12. [16] Ibid. xvi. 21, 22. [17] Heb. ix. 22. [18] 1 Sam. viii. 7. [19] Josh. xxiv. 15. [20] Judg. x. 6. [21] Jer. ii. 28. [22] See Kuenen, “Religion of Israel,” i. 360 (Eng. trans.).